Why did Oswald go get his revolver?

[John Corbett]

Where I believe these little thought exercises are useful is not that we're going to figure out exactly what Oswald was thinking but that they do tend to eliminate some possibilities.

One of the more popular theories is that Oswald was heading to a rendezvous - at Jack Ruby's, at a safe house in Oak Cliff, at the Texas Theater, at the Redbird Airport. To me, it is inconceivable that "a pit stop at Beckley to grab his revolver" would have been part of any such plan. It simply makes no sense. Those who favor rendezvous theories are stuck with this scenario, but it simply makes no sense.

He realized he was a patsy and went home to get his gun for protection: OK. Far-fetched for a host of reasons, but at least not irrational.

He was astounded to find himself outside the TSBD, had no plan at all, his mind was racing, and he went home to get his revolver because it might come in handy for whatever the hell might happen next: Yes, fits pretty well, it seems to me.

The first two paragraphs imply he had accomplices for which the is zero credible evidence. The third paragraph makes perfect sense. It involves no one else.

[Louis Earl]

He realized he had been framed.  He feared that his life was in danger.

[Lance Payette]

He realized he had been framed.  He feared that his life was in danger.

Easy to say, but start thinking about exactly HOW he was framed and how he KNEW he'd been framed and things start to get very complicated very fast. Why would he go home and get his revolver, as opposed to running to law enforcement for protection - he didn't think he could trust anyone in authority? He seriously thought his .38 would be protection against conspirators capable of killing a President? Once in custody, why wasn't he completely cooperative? It's really hard to articulate a scenario where "he hurried home and got his revolver, shot Tippit, resisted arrest in the theater, and remained completely uncooperative after his arrest" because "he realized he'd been framed."

[John Corbett]

He realized he had been framed.  He feared that his life was in danger.

If Oswald had been in the 2nd floor lunchroom at the time of the shooting as most deniers of his guilt seem to believe, why would he think he had been framed. He wouldn't even have known JFK had been shot until Mrs. Reid told him shots had been fired but she wasn't even sure he had been hit. He had been confronted by a cop with his gun drawn but wasn't detained after Truly vouched for him. If Oswald had been innocently eating his lunch when the shots were fired, what reason would he have to believe he was being framed for the shooting? Do CTs ever bother to think things through before they dream up these wild ideas?